Mixed Media Birthday cards

I'm delighted to back as a guest this month on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog. This week the theme is 'Mixed Media' with a focus on the products of Dina Wakely. 

I've created a couple of cards using Dina's paints, with one card featuring a Scribbly bird - an old, but go to stamp set!.

Both cards started with some texture paste applied through a couple of Tim Holtz circle stencils - I used Splotches and Bubble. I then added my paint in patches, merging a little or adding some white paint to tone down the 'joins. I used Turquoise, Fuscia, Tangerine and Ocean. Once dry I added some details with pen work, paint dots and lines (applied with an old credit card) and washi tape.

As my surface was textured I stamped the bird on tissue paper before adhering to the surface.

If you play along with this week's challenge at Simon Says stamp - you could win a $25 gift card to spend in store. I'll be back next week, for another challenge. Thanks for stopping by...

Nikki x

Tag Friday - it's a bright one!

We have a Tag Friday at A Vintage Journey today.  I am still in my bright colour phase, following a couple of Dina Wakley online classes!

This time though I have used the new face stamp from PaperArtsy / France Papillon. I had great fun using these for a recent post for PaperArtsy - and Lilly (as FP calls her) was still on my desk.

You can see details here.

The Dina influence is evident - but great mix and change styles!

The face is stamped on tissue paper, coloured on the reverse before adhering to the loosely painted background on the tag.

I hope everyone is keeping well during these difficult times. As some know I am struggling with the isolation of living alone, working at home and the gym shut. But art remains a great outlet for my frustrations.

Nikki xxx

Isolation Skype Craft 4 - Journalling Dina style

Hello and welcome to our 4th Isolation Skype Craft adventure - where Brenda Brown, Alison Bomber and I craft together over Skype. This version was another - do as you please, rather than our original rules based projects. As always just lovely to craft in the virtual company of  crafting buddies.

What is good about this project is I have finished something. It seems recently that I keep starting projects and not finishing them. I blame all these Facebook workshops - I have done a couple and both are unfinished - despite them being great projects.

I did a Dina Wakley workshop last Saturday evening and my Skype craft was Sunday morning - so you can see what inspired this page!

I followed alot of the process I had done on the workshop but in my journal instead. I love Dina's free style, mistakes are ok, letting things happen. She has a great eye for colour and composition though so I am not fooled it is easy as she makes it sound!!!

Compositionally this went a bit wrong.... spotted it? I do not like where I have positioned the face on the RHS - the masked tag is sticking out of her head! HOW did I not see that - LOL.

The masking on the silhouette figures worked a bit better - I like these. You can see all the layers here. What I failed to maintain is much white space - something I am working on - but must have got distracted by the conversation!

As you would expect wonderful projects from Brenda and Alison that you can find here:

Alison

Brenda

Nikki xx

Tando Creative Mini Books

Today I am over at A Vintage Journey with a tutorial for these mini books by Tando Creative. The process I am going through is same I used on my Canvas a couple of weeks ago... if you missed it you can see it here.

I made two little books this time - similar but not quite the same colours!

I just love these cute litte book - 6cm square!

Some previous versions if you want to see something a little less bright! (Here)

Thanks for stopping by and do head over to A Vintage Journey for all the details today.

Nikki
xxx

Inspirational quotes canvas for A Vintage Journey

Hi all. Today I am hosting the new challenge at A Vintage Journey. The theme this month is Get Sentimental. Time to use those words - be they poems, quotes or other sentiments.

My project is a 10x8 inch box canvas which I added texture to with paper/card scraps and texture paste before adding lots of wonderful colour with Dina Wakely paints. I am not going to go into lots of details on the process as I am back at AVJ in 2 weeks with a tutorial where I will be detailing the same process but on a much smaller scale!

All my background words are from Tim Holtz Theories stamp set - stamped onto tissue paper before adding to the canvas. 

Tim Holtz Butterfly Duo is always a go to item for me! Painted with the same paints and used an oil pastel over the embossed areas for contrast.

Another favourite for my main Sentiment! Tim Holtz Perspective stamp set - embossed with ink and white powder over a painty background scrap.

If you haven't already come from there - do head over to A Vintage Journey for lots more inspiration!

I would like to play along at:

Frilly and Funkie - B Happy

Country View Crafts - in the summer garden

Nikki

xxx

Dragonfly Journal Page

Some journal play this week in my A4 journal.

I used Dina Wakley paints and stamps from AALL and Create (Tracy Evans). A little different to the butterfly card I made with the same stamp sets! You can see it here if you missed it.

My original journal page was kraft card - but I think it is covered. I stared with random black coverage and white around the edges. I added some scraps of paper and card and both thick gesso and texture paste through 2 stencils (Tim Holtz dot fade and the stripy one!). I then began building colour - mostly with my fingers.

I added random stamping with archival ink from the AAll and Create border stamp set (the random circles) and stamped 3 hearts, the dragonly and words on separate scraps of paper. I added a little colour to these before adding.

The circle was a leftover die cut.

I would like to join the fun at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog:

(I used 2 stencils, gesso, Dina Wakley paints, texture paste and ink)

Have a great weekend.

Nikki

xxx

Painty Birthday cards

For the start of the new Craft Stamper Take It Make it challenge I reached for my Dina Wakley paints and had some fun with paint, stencils, new Dina washi tape and collage paper and various stamps!

I think this one is my favourite - love the collage paper and washi faces!

The greeting is PaperArtsy.

Greeting is by Stampin' Up.

I chose my colours to complement those of this fab, quite thick washi tape.

Maybe went a bit mad with this one! 

More washi and scribbly text collage paper.

Do pop on over to the Take It Make Challenge blog to see lots more inspiration!

And do join in - this months winner will receive two stamp sets from That's Crafty - new stamps by the lovely Donna Gray.

Nikki

xxx

It's Never too late...

Been playing in my journal in a Dina Wakley style - with her Funky Silhouettes stencil, washi tape and collage words.

Still working on the white space!

Nikki

Interesting Faces Journal Page

 

In my attempt to add more colour to my work I have been drawn to Dina Wakley's style - although I am yet to manage to leave some white space!

On this journal page I used new Dina Wakley stamps - Interesting Faces. Lots of layers of paint, some book page hearts and Dina's new Collage Words too. I used PaperArtsy Fresco Acrylics, scribble sticks and black and white journal pens.

Joining in the following challenges:

Love is in the air - Simon Says Stamp

That's Crafty - I Heart You

Frilly and Funkie - All you need is Love

Nikki

xxx

All Square

Today sees the start of new challenge at A Vintage Journey hosted by Tracy. The theme for the next 4 weeks is All Squared Up.....

Whether a frame, embellishment, die cuts, drawn squares, doodles or windows, let's see where inspiration takes you, let's get all squared up and show how creative those right angles can look! Show us your squared up pieces in a vintage; shabby; mixed media; art journalling; industrial, timeworn or steampunk style.

I really went all out squares on this one! The canvas is quite large for me - 12 x 12 inches. I have used all Dina Wakely heavy body acrylics with the exception of the browny / grey colour. I started with a blend of greens / blues and yellows but think most is covered now as I began sponging through homemade square stencils using different colours and sizes. The stencils were just made with photocopy paper.

Originally I planned to add more than just the stencilled squares but I liked it - so left it! Actually it was hard to stop as each time I added another size / colour I always felt it needed another layer. 

Lots more inpspiration today at A Vintage Journey so do hop over and join in for your chance to win our sponsors prize or to be a Pinworthy this month.

Nikki

xxx

Round and Round - Journal Page

Happy Friday everyone! Every other Friday we have a new challenge over at the That's Crafty challenge blog. Today our new theme is Round and Round. This one is a little easier than the last one I think (for me anyway!) - so many possibilities - it's anything with circles. Do play along for your chance to £20 to spend at the That's Crafty shop. If you are anything like me - you may have a HUGE wishlist right now 😉

I went a bit mad with my circles on this journal page. I started with a random painty background using Dina Wakely paints, then added stencilling and stamping - pretty much all circle based. On a separate piece of card I created another background with the same paints and used circle framelits to create my rings of different sizes.

I arranged them on the page and added white and black to create light and shade around them all.

Have a great weekend,

Nikki

xxx

Love to paint.....

A bright and cheerful journal page today - all the details can be found over at the Country View Crafts project blog.

See you soon

Nikki